Apparatus for condensing and bleaching oils.



PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

S. LEWIAK. APPARATUS FOR GONDENSING AND BLEAGHING OILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1903.

NO MODEL.

WIT/VESSES: I mvsuron ATTORNEY m: NOHMS PETERS co PHOYO-IJTHQ. wuumm-nu.u, c.

UNITED STATES Patented February 2, 1904.

STANISLAWV LEWIAK, OF WARSAW, RUSSIA.

APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING AND BLEACHING OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 751,187, dated February2, 1904.

Application filed March 10, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STANISLAW LEWIAK, residing at Warsaw, Poland,Russia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Condensing and Bleaching Vegetable Oils; andI do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

The invention relates to an improved apparatus for bleaching(decolorizing) and condensing oils and other fluids to a desireddensity; hence, also, for the manufacture of varnish-oil, condensed oil,printers, lithographers, copper plate printers, and gilders varnish andalso varnish for the manufacture of wax-cloth, leather-cloth, linoleum,American leather, and the like. Hitherto the oils were bleached eitherby exposing them in large metal vessels for a certain period, which as arule would take several weeks, to the action of open air duringsunlight, or in order to increase this action of the air upon the oil,and thereby accelerate the proceeding, special devices were used inwhich either the heated oil was caused to fall in drops through and inopposition to a current of dried or heated air or air was supplied atthe lower part to the mass of oil heated by steam in suitablereceptacles, whereupon the oil and the air were intimately intermixed bystirring. The bleaching efl'ect upon the oil obtained by the use of boththese devices is very unsatisfactory, however, considering the timenecessary for carrying out the steps. Both these devices are also notequal to the purpose when higher degrees of density of the oils must beobtained without the use of a drier, as is the case with varnish forprinting and lithographic inks, and much more so with copper-plating andgilding varnish or in the manufacture of linoleum and the like. Toobviate all these drawbacks and to present an apparatus that wouldanswer all the purposes and be capable of condensing the oils to anydesired state of density without the use of driers is the object of thepresent invention. For embodying the invention the oil is heated bysteam within a tightly-closed double -bodied boiler and air heated underSerial No. 147,115. (No model.)

pressure within the apparatus forcedat the lower part upward in bubblesor fine streams through the mass of oil contained in the boiler, the oiland the air being synchronously agitated by a peculiarly-constructedstirrer spe-- cially adapted to produce thorough mixing.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, Figure 1is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus; Fig. 2, across-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional viewof the fan and its casing and pipe (Z.

The boiler a for heating the oil is shown as resting upon standards 6,but may be mounted upon any suitable foundation. The boiler a may betightly closed by a cover 0, provided with an air-pipe (Z and with acentral bore 6, receiving the shaft f of the stirrer. The boiler isprovided with a peculiarly-constructed bottom g. The latter is providedcentrally with a bore it, in which is fitted the air-pipe 2', secured bya ring and the bottom also has an outlet-pipe is for such oils as remainafter treatment in a liquid state. The boiler has two shells or casingsZ and m, arranged one within the other, return steam being admitted intothe intermediate space n to heat the boiler through a pipe 0. Awaste-water-outlet pipe 19 communicates with the space a. The air-pipei, which penetrates into the space 12 at q is helically coiled. roundthe inner casing of the boiler, the other end protruding at r,from-whence it is passed through the bottom 9 again into the boiler.

It will be easily understood that all the connections of the pipeswithin the spacen must be very tight and secure, since the space isheated by steam at the temperature of some 100 centigrade and the pipesare, besides, expected to sustain an inner air-pressure of from two tofour atmospheres.

The bottom 9 of the boiler supports the main step-bearing 6, consistingof a number of semicircular metal strips laid: crosswise against eachother and connected together at the top. In this step-bearingt rotatesthe shaft receiving rotation by means of beveled cog-wheel o from themain shaft w. Upon the shaft f are mounted three sets of perforatedblades :0, each set consisting of four blades inactive.

tion havlng thus been obtained, the condensplaced at right angles toeach other. Meshing with the beveled cog-wheel a is a beveled cog-wheel1 mounted upon the tube or tu bular shaft 2, and thus the tube 2 rotatesin a direction opposite to that of the shaft actuated by the beveledcog-wheel u.

Fixed at right angles to each other upon the tube 2 are four arms 1,their free ends carrying each a strap 2. These straps are extended downclose to thebottom g of the boiler and have mounted upon them blades 3similar to those upon the main shaftf. The blades 3 fill the spacesbetween the blades 50 and between the lowest blade and the bottom g. Itis evident that the blades x and 3 are thus adapted to revolve inopposition to each other, and thus uniform and thorough agitation of theoil is obtained.

lVhen the blades revolve, the oil foams violently, the foam having anatural tendency to escape through the air'pipe (Z. To prevent this andat the same time to give free vent to the gases that are simultaneouslygenerated, I provide a device in the form of a fan, presently described.Owing to this device, the air and the generated gases which penetrateinto the pipe (Z can escape freely, while the foam is beaten down withinthe casing of the device and forced back into the boiler, where it ismade to remrin.

Underneath the step-bearing z, of the shaft f is arranged ametal sieveor hood 11, provided round its lower part with a series of slots 12, theobject of which is to more uniformly distribute the current of air to beforced upward through the mass of oil. Into this hood is introduced oneend of the spirallycoiled air-pipe 2 iris forced into the boiler underconstant pressure by means of an airpump or any other suitable device.

The air-pipe 91 can be inclosed in a metal sleeve or jacket 21. Theadmission of air into the spiral pipe 2 and beneath the hood 11 iscontrolled by valve 22, provided with an index-scale 23 and pointer 24.This valve can be dispensed with, if desired.

The operation of the apparatrs is as follows: The boiler a is filledwith the oil or other fluid to about two-thirds of itscapacity,whereupon steam bein g admitted into the space '21 the oil isheated to a temperature of at least 100 centigrade. The blades and 3 arenow made to revolve sufficiently fast to produce thorough agitation ofthe contents of the boiler a and their action uninterruptedly continuedfor about three hoursi. 0., until thedesired degree of decolorization ofthe oil has been obtained. The valve 22 may during that time be keptclosed and the pressure device kept The desired degree of decolorizaingof the oil may now be commenced. To this end the stirrer is kept inmotion and the valve 22 gradually opened. The air heated by the spiralpipe 2' is now forced beneath the hood 11 and from thence in finebubbles or streams upward through the mass of oil,thereby contributingto the evaporation and escape of particles of water contained in theoil. Complete removal of all the watery parts is effected by the hightemperature (not under 100 centigrade) combined with the action of theblades, which intimately intermix the introduced air with the oil. Theair and the generated steam escape through the air-pipe (Z, while thefoam is driven back into the boiler by the action of the fan. Thisproceeding is continued for about eleven hours, according to the desireddegree of density, whereupon the oil, completely ready for use, may berun off through the tube .into suit' able receptacles. After somefourteen hours treatment there is formed within the boiler a toughelastic mass, (oil-caoutchouc,) which cannot be run ofl' through thetube 1 0, and in order to remove same the apparatus must be opened andthe stirrer removed, whereupon the mass must be separated from theagitating-blades and the walls of the apparatus, and this isaccomplished without difficulty by shoveling the mass out.

Oil that has undergone the above-described treatment is distinguished bya high degree of decolorization, fine gloss, and great elasticity, whichqualities it is apt to preserve a very long time. At the same time itacquires the property of absorbing large quantities of liquids, withwhich it may be diluted. The process, as a matter of course, is muchcheaper than the ordinary processes and much saving of time is efiected.The whole of the work is accomplished within a few hours instead ofseveral days and even weeks. To accelerate the drying of the oilcondensed by the abovedescribed process, the pressure tube may, wherecircumstances will allow it, be extended through a retort filled withsome body having the property of easily-yielding oxygen, when the oxygenwill be forced through the pipe 2' into the boiler, thereby contributingto the prompt drying of the oil.

The fan or ventilator referred to above may consist of a casing 5,communicating with the pipe (Z and provided with an aXle- 6, rotated bya cog-wheel 7 mounted thereupon, meshing with cog-wheel 8 upon the shaft20. The axle 6 is provided with a number of radiallyextending blades 9,with pivotally attached fingers 1O capable of yielding in a directionopposite to the rotation of the blades.

1n condensing the different fluids the number of revolutions in theapparatus must be regulated according to requirements.

'W'hat 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of aboiler composed of inner and outer shells or casings, means foradmitting a heating medium to the space between said casings, anair-pipe arranged within said space and adapted to discharge the heatedair into the inner casing, and an agitating device arranged within theinner casing.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination ofaboiler composed of inner and outer shells or casings, means foradmitting a heating medium to the space between said casings, anair-pipe arranged within said space, and having the discharge endcommunicating with the interior of the inner casing at the bottomthereof, and an agitating device arranged within the inner casing.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of aboiler composed of inner and outer shells or casings, means foradmitting a heating medium to the space between the casings, an air-pipearranged within said space and adapted to discharge heated air withinthe inner casing, and an agitating de- 0 vice arranged Within the innercasing and comprising perforated blades, and means for r0- tatingcertain of said blades in one direction shaft, and means for rotatingthe shafts and the corresponding blades in opposite directions.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of aboiler composed of inner and outer shells or casings, means foradmitting a heating medium into the space between said casings, anair-pipe arranged within said space and adapted to discharge heated airwithin the inner casing, an agitating device within the inner casing, apipe leading from the upper portion of the inner casing, a casing incommunication with said pipe, a shaft mounted in said last-mentionedcasing, blades on said shaft, and fingers pivotally attached to saidblades.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination With aboiler composed of inner and outer shells or casings, means foradmitting a heating medium within the space between said casings, anair-pipe arranged within said space and having its discharge endextending through the bottom of the inner casing, and a perforated hoodarranged over the said discharge end of the airpipe.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STAN ISLAWV LEWVIAK;

IVitnesses:

HERNANDO DE SOTO, EDMUND B. ST. CLAIR.

